Erinnerungen eines Soldaten (book)

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Erinnerungen eines Soldaten ("Memories of a Soldier") is the German language title of Heinz Guderian's autobiography of his service in the Panzer arm of the Heer during World War II. Guderian's insights are important because of his association with the Panzer forces from a very early period, his high rank and involvement in many of the most important mobile operations of the war, and his eventual rise to Inspector General of Armored Troops, which involved him into regular direct interaction with Hitler and Speer in their high-level decision-making of the conduct of the last year of the war. However, his memoirs — written while imprisoned by the Allies after the war — also seem to be colored with public relations spin and perhaps a bit of self-aggrandizement as well, and may merit a measure of skepticism on the reader's part.

The most prominent English language version is Panzer Leader, © 1952 Dutton, translated by Constantine Fitzgibbon and with a foreword by Captain B. H. Liddell Hart. The Da Capo Press editions have an additional introduction by Kenneth Macksey.

[edit] Known editions

Guderian, Heinz [1952] (2001). Panzer Leader, Da Capo Press Reissue edition, New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81101-4.
Guderian, Heinz [1952] (1957). Panzer Leader (abridged), First Ballantine Books Edition, New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-25329-9.